Paul Volponi

Two star high school basketball players, one black and one white, experience the justice system differently after committing a crime together and getting caught. An ALA Best Book for Young Adults. Reprint.

Black and White

Rener Gracie

Overcome any obstacle life throws at you by thinking, and reacting like a world-class martial artist—without ever setting foot on the mat. Jiu-jitsu is more than a martial art; it is a lifestyle that promotes health, confidence, self-determination, and being in balance with the world. Now, for the first time, the most important and life-enhancing principles of jiu-jitsu can be applied to every aspect of life. In The 32 Principles, famed jiu-jitsu instructor Rener Gracie, who has coached more than 350,000 students in 196 countries, presents the core teachings of jiu-jitsu and explains how they can apply to all of our daily lives, including: The Pyramid Principle and the importance of investing in a strong foundation The Acceptance Principle and recognizing when it’s better to yield than to resist The Pivot Principle and the value of changing your perspective to increase your effectiveness The Redirection Principle and using unfavorable circumstances to create favorable outcomes Intended for both longtime fans and practitioners of the martial arts, as well as those completely unfamiliar with jiu-jitsu—and 32 companion videos of each principle’s physical application for self defense from Rener himself—will help you gain balance and control over yourself, home, work, family, and personal and professional relationships. Along with multi-award-winning author Paul Volponi, this book features contributions from more than 40 champion athletes, top flight coaches, and others who have benefited from these principles in real life. . Every obstacle is a technique waiting to be discovered. Learn how to live life through the lens of a martial arts master, and no challenge will knock you down for long.

Harnessing the Power of Jiu-Jitsu to Succeed in Business, Relationships, and Life

The 32 Principles

Still reeling from seeing police shoot his unarmed cousin to death on the roof of a New York City housing project, seventeen-year-old Clay is dragged into the whirlwind of political manipulation that follows. Reprint.

Rooftop

High school senior Adonis struggles to do the right thing when his fellow football players escalate their bullying of a new classmate, Alan, who is transgendered.

Crossing lines

High school sophomore Miles Shaw goes to live with his father, a jazz musician, in New Orleans, and together they survive the horrors of Hurricane Katrina in the Superdome, learning about each other and growing closer through their painful experiences.

Hurricane song

Four players at the Final Four of the NCAA basketball tournament struggle with the pressures of tournament play and the expectations of society at large.

The Final Four

A sixteen-year-old shortstop in Cuba who dreams of playing with the pros must choose between his country and his father, who defected to the U.S.

Game Seven

An unflinching story about justice, courage, and the life of one young man behind bars. It started out as an innocent day for Martin, but it quickly turned into his worst nightmare--arrested for something he didn't even mean to do. And five months later, he is still locked up in jail on infamous Rikers Island. Just when things couldn't get worse, Martin gets caught in a fight between two prisoners, and his face is slashed. He's scarred forever, but one good thing comes from the attack: Martin is transferred to a part of Rikers where inmates must attend high school. When he meets his caring and understanding teacher, will Martin open up and learn from his situation? Or will he be consumed by prison and getting revenge on his attackers? "Volponi, who taught on Rikers Island for six years, writes with an authenticity that will make readers feel Martin's fear."--Publishers Weekly "Volponi . . . brings to life a believable range of teachers, COs, and inmates and portrays power, hierarchies, and race relations both outside and inside the jail walls with unflinching realism."--School Library Journal "With down-to-earth language based on his own experiences . . . Volponi captures the reader."--VOYA

Rikers High

Two star high school basketball players, one black and one white, experience the justice system differently after committing a crime together and getting caught

Rikers is the story of Martin Stokes, known as Forty, a seventeen-year-old on Rikers Island in New York. Forty gets his name from the number of the bed to which he is assigned. He has spent five months on the island, waiting to plead guilty to a minor offense and receive probation. During his last few weeks there, his face is cut in an attack by another inmate. He is transferred to a different housing unit. In his new unit, he finds support from a teacher and comes up against Brick, the house gangster. On his final trip to court, Forty has the opportunity to exact revenge when he encounters his assailant again. But should he take revenge? This is a novel for young adults and for adults who are concerned about adolescents.

Rikers

After he is arrested on a minor offense, a New York City teenager attends high school in the jail facility on Rikers Island as he waits for his case to go to court. Mature content.

When Huck Porter's dad suddenly dies, it feels like nothing will ever make sense again. Huck's "best friend" thinks that Huck should just get over it, the girl he likes won't give him the time of day, and his mom now works all hours at a roadside diner to make ends meet. The only thing that still makes sense for Huck is the game his dad taught him, the game they spent hours playing together: Texas hold'em. Worse than all of that, though, is Huck's math teacher, Mr. Abbott -- a hungry card shark with an ego to match his appetite. He now wears the local poker tournament's first prize, a silver watch that Huck's dad wore proudly for three years. So Huck hatches a plan to knock Abbott off his throne and win back the watch. Only, bluffing his way into the tournament will mean lying to everyone Huck knows. But as Huck gets deeper in the tournament and starts to lose himself in the cards, he begins to wonder who he'll be when the last hand is played. Raw and gritty, Paul Volponi's novel about grief, family, and poker is an adrenaline rush that starts with a bang and doesn't let up until the final page is turned. A coming-of-age story set at a card table, The Hand You're Dealt will leave readers wondering what they would risk in a game.

The Hand You're Dealt

When Miles's mother remarries, Miles decides to move to New Orleans to be with his father. But he and his father are very different—Miles's dad lives for jazz, while Miles's first love is football. Then Hurricane Katrina hits, and the two must seek refuge in the Superdome. What would normally be a dream come true for a football fan, this safe haven turns into a nightmare when the power fails and gangs take over. And when his father decides to rebel, Miles must make a choice that will alter their relationship—and their lives—forever.

Hurricane Song

A runaway boy with nothing finds everything he needs, including a faimly, in the most unlikely of places--at a racetrack.

Homestretch

After he is arrested on a minor offense, a New York City teenager attends high school in the jail facility on Rikers Island as he waits for his case to go to court.

When seventeen-year-old Huck's vindictive math teacher wins the town poker tournament and takes the winner's watch away from Huck's father while he's in a coma, Huck vows to get even with him no matter what it takes.

Adonis is a jock. He's on the football team and he's dating one of the prettiest girls in school. Alan is the new kid. He wears lipstick and joins the Fashion Club. Soon enough the football team is out to get him. Adonis is glad to go along with his teammates . . . until they come up with a dangerous plan to humiliate Alan. Now Adonis must decide whether he wants to be a guy who follows the herd or a man who does what's right. From critically acclaimed author Paul Volponi comes this discussable and finely wrought story of bullies, victims, and the bystanders caught in between.

Crossing Lines

"Volponi, a multiple award-winning author, keeps the tension high from the first to last page ...The Final Four is definitely a winner." —VOYA, starred review March Madness is in full swing, and there are only four teams let in the NCAA basketball championship. The heavily favored Michigan Spartans and the underdog Troy Trojans meet in the first game in the seminfinals, and it's there that the fates of Malcolm, Roko, Crispin, and M.J. intertwine. As the last moments tick down on the game clock, you'll learn how each player went from being a kid who loves to shoot hoops to a powerful force in one of the most important games of the year. Which team will leave the Superdome victorious? In the end it will come down to who has the most skill, the most drive, and the most heart. "Volponi nails it when it counts in this dynamic story." —Booklist, starred review "Volponi adroitly renders authentic and inspired basketball action." —The New York Times Book Review

Paul Volponi

About

Books

Join the club